6 Signs Dental Extractions May Be the Best Next Step

Being told you need a tooth extracted is never welcome news, and preserving your natural teeth is always the priority. However, in some cases, removing a tooth is the best way to protect your overall oral health and prevent more serious complications.

At Ocala Smiles in Ocala, Florida, Drs. Robert Evelyn and Wayne Harper carefully evaluate every available treatment option before recommending an extraction. Below are some of the most common reasons why a tooth extraction may be the best course of action.

1. Gum Disease Causes a Tooth to Be Loose and Unreliable

If you have a loose tooth and you’re a grown adult, it’s not going to tighten back up. Your gums might start bleeding, or the tooth may look longer.

Gum disease chews through the bone that’s holding the tooth in place. Once that’s gone, there’s nothing left to anchor it. Pulling this tooth will keep infection out of the bone in your neighboring teeth.

2. A Tooth Is Too Damaged to Be Saved with a Root Canal

Tooth decay that makes it past the enamel and into the nerve will give you pain that wakes you up at 2 a.m. like a freight train. Once that happens, nothing in your medicine cabinet is going to give you the relief you need.

Your dentist will try a filling or root canal if your tooth is savable. But if it’s cracked below the gums, extraction is the healthiest thing. Once that’s done, you’ll feel relief very quickly.

Before and After Actual Patient Results

3. Infection Keeps Coming Back to the Same Tooth

Sometimes your dentist treats an infection, and it clears up only to come back again a few months later. A root canal is the first thing a dentist will try. But if that doesn’t clear up the infection permanently, extraction may be necessary.

Symptoms of an infected tooth:

• Swelling.
• Pus or a bad taste in your mouth.
• Fever.
• A bump near the root.
• Excruciating pain.

4. A Tooth Is Badly Broken or Damaged in an Accident

X-rays and an exam can help your dentist quickly decide if your tooth can be saved with the crown. But if it’s broken under the gum, it can’t be rebuilt.

5. Teeth Are Overcrowded, and You’re at Risk of a Crooked Smile

Overcrowded teeth will inevitably make it hard for you to clean your teeth. You might also end up with a crooked smile. Your dentist may recommend removing a couple of teeth to make room for the healthiest ones. Are dental extractions safe? Absolutely, they are when it’s well planned. 

6. Wisdom Teeth That Are Impacted or Painful

Wisdom tooth pain happens gradually. It’s just a little tenderness at first, but it usually won’t get better on its own. If it becomes impacted, it has to be removed because it can damage your other teeth and even become infected. 

Learn More About Dental Extractions Near Me in Belleview, FL

Drs. Robert Evelyn and Wayne Harper of Ocala Smiles see patients from Belleview and surrounding towns out of their office at 1800 SE 17th St STE 602, Ocala, FL 34471. Get in touch with the staff today by calling 352-867-7181, and they’ll get you set up with an appointment.

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